Urbana man sentenced to probation following drug possession plea

URBANA — An Urbana man who admitted possessing drugs in his home last June has been sentenced to two years of probation.

After Joshua Chapman, 20, who listed an address in the 2300 block of East Main Street, Urbana, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, Judge Heidi Ladd sentenced Chapman to 24 months of probation.

As part of a plea agreement, a second count of manufacture and delivery of 30 to 300 grams of marijuana was dismissed.

According to a police report, Jeremy Jessup of the court services department was doing a home check on Chapman's roommate, Caleb Cooke, 23, who was earlier sentenced to probation for aggravated criminal sexual abuse, when he saw drug paraphernalia in their home. He asked Chapman for permission to search the home.

Jessup and a patrol officer found about 11/2 ounces of psilocybin (mushrooms) and about 61/2 ounces of cannabis in the home, according to the report. Both Chapman and Cooke were arrested.